As the Lords Word teaches, every believer should have a home church where you regularly and faithfully attend and serve to help build up the body of Christ. Scripture also teaches that your tithe belongs to your home church - not a television ministry or minister but your home church...
Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall
not be room enough to receive it.Here are a few points highlighted by J. Lee Grady in Charisma Magazine taken from the book "The Midas Touch" by Bro. Kenneth E. Hagin. We have added comments and scriptural support.
1. Financial prosperity is not a sign of God’s blessings. Brother Hagin wrote: “If wealth alone were a sign of spirituality, then drug traffickers and crime bosses would be spiritual giants. Material wealth can be connected to the blessings of God or it can be totally disconnected from the blessings of God.”
1Ti 6:5-10
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.2. People should never give in order to get. Brother Kenneth E. Hagin was critical of those who “try to make the offering plate some kind of heavenly vending machine.” He denounced those who link giving to getting: especially those who give cars to get new cars or give suits to get new suits.“ There is no spiritual formula to sow a Ford to get a Mercedes,” said Bro. Hagin. We should give not to get, but to advance the Kingdom of God.
3. It is not biblical to “name your seed” in an offering. Brother Hagin was horrified by this practice, which was polarized in faith conferences during the 1980’s. Even today, some preachers tell donors that when they give an offering they should claim a specific benefit to get a blessing in return. Bro. Hagin rejected this idea and said that focusing on what you are going to receive corrupts the very attitude of our giving nature.”
4. The “hundredfold return” is not a biblical concept. Brother Hagin did the math and figured out that if this bizarre notion were true, “we would have Christians walking around with not billions or trillions of dollars, but quadrillions of dollars!” He rejected the popular teaching that a believer should claim a specific monetary payback rate.
5. Preachers who claim to have a “debt-free breaking” anointing should not be trusted. Bro. Hagin was perplexed by ministers who promise “supernatural debt cancellation” to those who give in certain offerings. He wrote, “There is not one bit of Scripture I know that validates such a practice. I’m afraid it is simply a scheme to raise money for the preacher, and ultimately it can turn out to be dangerous and destructive for all involved.”
Preachers who claim to have a debt-free breaking anointing and claim that you can partake of that anointing by giving in an offering are charlatans and are merchandising the anointing. We have seen some televangelists bleed and mislead innocent people with claims that the Lord has told them "that their marriages will be totally restored, backslidden children will return home, and even that there is a special anointing of 'wisdom' from heaven that will automatically fall upon them if they will partner right now to send in a specified amount of money.” Example, one such charlatan on television proclaimed, "the Lord has told me that if you sow a seed right now of $56.65 a month for the next year your marriage will be restored right now." This is far away from the truth of Gods’ Word. Steer clear of this false teaching. Marriages and relationships are restored by confession - commitment - and communication. And, wisdom comes from walking humbly before God and adhering to His word.
Act 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, thy money perish with you, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven you.
Some evangelists appearing on Christian television today use this bogus claim. Usually they insist that the miraculous debt cancellation will occur only if a person gives" right now,” as if God's anointing for this miracle suddenly evaporates after the prime time viewing hour is over. This manipulative claim is more akin to witchcraft than Christian belief.
Bro. Hagin condemned other hairbrained gimmicks designed to trick audiences into emptying their wallets. He was especially incensed when a preacher told his audience that he would take their prayers requests to Jesus’ empty tomb in Jerusalem and pray over them there – if donors included a special love gift.” What the preacher really wanted was more people to send in offerings,” Hagin wrote.
It is our sincere desire that you have been helped by this teaching. We encourage you to get faithfully planted in a local church, begin tithing faithfully in your home church and put your hand to the plow by serving in your local church. As you faithfully trust the Lord He has promised that He will supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory through Christ Jesus!
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